The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-02

and burned. and beyond all hope OF recovery.
Nellie lies IN a terrible condition, but may re-
cover Charles n. Devere and wife. and Mrs.
Agnes Beasley are dead Miss Hattie Bryant IS
badly bruised
There are many theories to explain the cause
or the ex explosion but none satisfactory. The
mob which press around the scene excitedly talk
of Anarchists and dynamite. but men of sense
discountenance this idle prattle. The general
that Mr.. Newman kept a quantity of kerosene
oil and gasoline in the cellar near
where the explosion evidently took place.
it burned indicate this The vessel and
the oil, if there were any. have been destroyed,
and the only man that knows is dead. The es-
Gaping gas theory is supported. however by the
store boy, Joe Bieuvenue who says that he was
annoyed during the afternoon yesterday by a
strong smell of gas. and before shutting up the
store for the night u 730 o'clock he went through
the building looking for the open burner. He
did not visit the cellar. The tremendous force
of the explosion is the cause of greatest doubt
around the place but the work of rescue is over.
The financial loss will amount to about 500
0O0 divided in small amounts among the prop
erty-owners in the neghborhood. The principal
loss falls W. Renshaw. who owns the de-
moished building Nos to Is, South Fourteenth
street. He recently purchased the building for
So o00 The losses are fully covered by insur-
ance.
Nellie Newman is able to talk, and she related
her terrible experience between her pitiful in
quiries for mother and sister. In broken senten-
and /. in the front room. directly over the store
Mother and father were in the next room with
my little sister. and my brothers were in the
room beyond. The crash woke me. Then the
roof fell me. / was lying on my right side
and Mamie behind me. mothers
room When the roof fell timbers fell upon
out of the bed. The plaster fell on my face, got
into my eyes and into my mouth. could not
see. nor scream. My arms were held down by
piece of wood. which lay Mamie, too An
o n Az Hnnn m fnQt an N
move. The house must have taken FIRE few
minutes after the explosion. The fremen We're
a long time coming, and the fire got into the
ruins about Mamie was burning. l know
and the fire was getting very hot about me. l
could feel the fire getting nearer and nearer /
thought then I was going to die. Then they be-
gan to pour water on the fire. The water
pouring around us for the longest time, and we
were in danger of being drowned The water
made me feel batter. though. until it ran into
my mouth. 1t felt good on my eyes. Then the
men came 90 take US out of the ruins. / could
not see them but heard them tramping over the
broken wood. They took Mamie out first. She
lay my and shoulder held her down.
The firemen had to chop it away, and that hurt
me. thought would be crushed every time
the ak struck the wood. When they had taken
Mamie out they took me"
Charles Eifferd who occupied room in the
same building was up late playing solitaire
He said: 81 heard a loud report and the table
slid away from before me. A second or two
elapsed. when 1 heard another report very
much if two bombs had been fired into the
air. the explosions followed with only a few
moments intermisslon. l jumped to my
feet. and found the floor sinking away
under me- l reached out and seized
the jamb of the door, and managed to retain
my clutch on it. 1 saw that the way down
stairs at the south side of the house
clear, and started out. when / heard
a cry for help. The crashing had SUBJ
sided. / knew it Mrs Belle Wilson, who
in the front room. l then went back, and
after much difficulty got her from the room and
carried her downstairs / am sure that heard
two explosions, and that they were only few
seconds apart. 1 don't know any explanation
for the explosion